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Corporate asset protection: Shielding your practice from lawsuits, threats…
David B. Mandell, JD, MBA, and Jason M. O'Dell, MS, CWM Healthcare AdministrationAs we discussed in Part I of this article, in attempting to protect an ongoing practice or healthcare business against lawsuits and potential creditor threats, most leave much to be desired. They may rely too heavily on insurance, have suboptimal corporate structures in place and even unknowingly miss out on significant tax advantages.
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New contractor for insurance exchange website faces quite a challenge
Pamela Lewis Dolan Healthcare AdministrationAfter its three-year contract to build the federal health insurance exchange website culminated in a launch full of glitches and bad press, CGI Federal did not receive a contract renewal. Instead, the federal government is putting its faith — and more than $45 million — in Arlington, Va.-based Accenture Federal Services to oversee the HealthCare.gov website.
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Survey: ICD-10 preparedness lacking
Pamela Lewis Dolan Healthcare AdministrationAs the deadline for switching to ICD-10 code sets inches closer, concern is growing that neither healthcare organizations nor insurers will be ready to go live by October. A survey by KPMG, a New York-based healthcare advisory firm, found the majority of health plans and providers have allocated budgets toward ICD-10 readiness and had completed impact assessments. But most had not yet conducted testing on their systems or determined how the conversion would impact revenue cycle and cash flow.
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Unreliability of blood pressure measurements with manual readers
Dr. Afsaneh Motamed-Khorasani Medical & Allied HealthcareThere have been intensive universal efforts to promote appropriate techniques to measure blood pressure. However, the quality and accuracy of blood pressure measurement is under question in clinical settings. Several studies have been conducted on the routine, manual office blood pressure readings, where inconsistent readings were frequently observed. Some of the factors affecting these imprecise readings included: poor measurement techniques, conversation with patients during the readings and patient anxiety.
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Using dental practice software to make management decisions
Jill Nesbitt Oral & Dental HealthcareAs the office manager for a dental practice with seven dentists, 25 staff, 18 operatories, I was responsible for the business side of the practice. When I was hired, my first assignment was to select the best dental practice management software for our practice — and then to make the most of this software to run a successful dental practice.
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Health spending growth low for 4th consecutive year
Pamela Lewis Dolan Healthcare AdministrationFor the fourth consecutive year, growth in healthcare spending remained historically low. But the likelihood this trend will continue, and how the Affordable Care Act will impact it, is still in question. From 2009 to 2012, the U.S. saw the slowest growth in healthcare spending since the government started tracking these trends in the 1960s, according to data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
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Food for thought: Exercise your optimism muscle
Karen Childress Healthcare AdministrationIf you routinely hear phrases like "Why are you so negative?" coming from people who know you well — your spouse, practice partner, office manager or even your children — it may be time to work on building up your optimism muscle. The dictionary definition of optimism is, "a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future," but deep-seated optimism goes beyond simply the ability to maintain a sunny, hopeful outlook on life.
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Health app certification program halted
Pamela Lewis Dolan Medical & Allied HealthcareJust days after the first class of certified mobile apps was announced by an organization that promised to take the guesswork out of app recommendations for physicians, the certification program was halted after it was found to be significantly flawed.
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The end is near: Are you on track to meet your goals?
Jill Nesbitt Oral & Dental HealthcareI assume you have goals — written down, measurable, deadline-driven, goals. At the minimum, you have a goal for what you would like to produce each year, right? Collections as well? How about a new patient goal? Overhead? Recall rate? Case acceptance? Here we are in mid-December, just a couple weeks away from the end of the year — a great time to take a look at all your goals to see if you're on track.
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Medical device market trends and the headwinds of change
Don Rosato ManufacturingThe term "medical device" can be applied to a wide range of products. The global market is comprised of about 8,000 types of medical devices, ranging from simple bandages and spectacles, through life-maintaining implantable devices and equipment to screen/diagnose disease and health conditions, to the most sophisticated diagnostic imaging and minimally invasive surgery equipment.
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